1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to image recording apparatus which record images on recording media, and more particularly, to image recording apparatus which comprise a reading unit which reads a recorded image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known inkjet recording apparatus including a line head, a single nozzle is allocated for printing in a long and a narrow region in a conveying direction of a recording medium. Consequently, when a relatively small number of nozzles fail to eject ink, a particular line may not be recorded on the recording medium, or the particular line may be unevenly recording on the recording medium, thereby decreasing the quality of the image.
In another known inkjet recording apparatus, such as the inkjet recording apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-205742, a line image sensor is positioned at a position adjacent to a line head on the downstream side in a conveying direction. The line image sensor reads a test pattern recorded on a recording sheet. The line image sensor then may determine whether any nozzle in the line head failed to eject ink based on the recorded test pattern.
In yet another known inkjet recording apparatus which includes a line head, a discharge unit, which discharges recording sheet after an image is recorded on the recording sheet, is positioned above the line head. Consequently, the recording sheet on which the image is recorded is reversed, is conveyed in a direction opposite the conveying direction, and then is discharged. In such an inkjet recording apparatus, if an image sensor is positioned at a position adjacent to the line head on the downstream side in the conveying direction, as in the another known inkjet recording apparatus, the size of the apparatus may increase in the conveying direction.